Clothespin



Patented Apr. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT` OFFICE i Y f 2593,20; j n CLOTHESPIN Noel J. Saunders, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application October 13, 1949, Serial No. 121,097

1 Claim. (Cul. 24-137) This invention generally relates to a clothes peg of the type having two arms fulcrumed with respect to each other about a point intermediate their ends to form gripping jaw sections on one side of the fulcrum point and handles on the other side of the fulcrum point.

Clothes pegs of this type have been used extensively in the past. I feel, however, that I have invented a peg of this general class which is substantially better than those of the prior art by reason of its cheapness and simplicity of manufacture and of its greater utility.

I achieve these advantages of construction and use by employing a novel' spring member for retaining the two peg arms in an operative relation with respect to each other. The spring member I employ is formed from a single piece of wire bent in two substantial `Cs in juxtaposed relation to each other. The peg arms are clisposed for pivoting about their fulcrum point between the juxtaposed C formations of the spring member, means are formed on the jaw section of the peg arm for coaction with the ends of the juxtaposed C formations to retain them in engagement with the peg arms and to cause them to coact with each other to urge the jaw sections to a closed position. According to the invention, means are formed in the peg arms for cooperation with the base of the `C formations of the spring member to lock the spring member against movement longitudinally of the peg arms. 'Ihe invention will be clearly understood after reference to the following detailed specication read in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a clothes peg according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the spring member employed for the purpose of retaining the individual peg arms together.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, letter A generally indicates a peg according to the present invention. It will be seen to comprise two peg arms I and II fulcrumed with respect to each other at a point between their free ends as at I2. The portions of the peg arms to the left of the fulcrumed point in the drawing will be referred to as the jaw sections of the peg arms in this specification, and the portions of the peg arms to the right of the fulcrumed point I 2 in the drawing will be referred to as the handle portions of the peg arms. In use, as is probably already apparent from the description thus far, the

handle portions of the peg arms are used to open the jaw portions.

I employ a spring member I3 formed from a single piece of wire bent in two substantial C-shaped sections juxtaposed to each other. The peg arms I0 and II are disposed for pivoting about the fulcrumed point I2 between the juxtaposed C formations of the spring member I3 as shown and the longitudinally extending, spaced apart lugs I4 and I5 carried by the jaw sections of the peg arms IU and I I retain the ends of the arms of the juxtaposed `C formations of the spring member I3 over the peg arms. When the spring member is retained in this manner, the resiliency of the `C formations will urge the jaw sections of the peg arms to a closed position. They can be opened, of course, by depressing the handle portions of the peg arms against the resilience of spring member I3. According to the invention the spring member I3 is retained against movement longitudinally 0f the peg arms I0 and II by means of the aligned notches I6 and I'I formed in the sides of the peg arms I0 and II respectively to accommodate the base portions of the IC formations. In the embodiment of the invention shown I disclose a second series of aligned slots I8 and I9. If desired, the base portion of the C formations of the spring member I3 can be slipped into these latter mentioned aligned slots to increase the jaw closing tension on the peg as a whole.

From the above it will be apparent that I have disclosed a peg which can be manufactured very cheaply and assembled very quickly. The peg is well adapted to manufacture from a plastic material and in this respect the casting dies would be of a simple nature. Its big advantage in use is that a clothes line could be passed through the open jaws and slipped over the fulcrum point to position the peg permanently on a clothes line. The firmly locked engagement between the base of the spring and the peg arms ensures a positive lock that will not release from longitudinally directed forces.

What is claimed is:

A clothes peg comprising a spring member formed from a single piece of Wire bent in two substantial Cs in juxtaposed relation to each other, two peg arms fulcrumed with respect to each other about a point between their ends to form gripping jaws on one side of the fulcrum point and handles for operating the said jaws on the other side of the fulcrum point, said arms being disposed between said juxtaposed C formations of said spring member for pivoting about their fulcrum point, two lugs carried by each of the jaw sections of said arms, said lugs being spaced apart to receive the end portions of said C formations therebetween whereby to retain them against said peg arms, and a plurality of aligned notches in each of said peg arms tog accommodate the base portion of said C formation whereby to positively lock said spring member against free movement longitudinally against said arms, said notches being spaced apart longitudinally of said arms whereby the base of said spring can be locked in more than one position longitudinally of said arms, the free end portions REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 175,478 Marshall Mar. 28, 1876 1,109,984 Guenette Sept. 8, 1914 

